Political and intelligence channels are working to reschedule Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Rodolf Haykal’s visit to Washington, D.C., within 48 hours, following the sudden cancellation of several high-level meetings, Nidaa al-Watan has learned. The effort aims to restore the same sessions with officials at the U.S. Department of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and senior administration figures that were initially called off.

According to U.S. sources who spoke to Nidaa al-Watan, three key factors contributed to Washington’s decision to cancel Haykal’s meetings:

1. Perceived delays in Hezbollah disarmament: U.S. officials expressed frustration over the pace of Haykal’s efforts to remove Hezbollah’s weapons from areas south and north of the Litani River.

2. Previous Cabinet remarks: In a prior cabinet session, Haykal reportedly proposed pausing the Army’s disarmament plan until Israeli forces withdrew from five occupied positions, a stance that alarmed Washington and raised doubts about his approach.

3. Army statement on Israel: A recent Army communiqué blamed Israel solely for ongoing tensions without mentioning Hezbollah.

Despite the abrupt setbacks, efforts are now underway to smooth relations and ensure the visit proceeds. Officials expect that when Haykal meets with U.S. counterparts, he will reaffirm his commitment to removing weapons from both south and north of the Litani River by the end of the year.

U.S. sources emphasized that the cancellations were procedural rather than personal, noting that Haykal remains a welcomed figure in Washington. The message, they said, was clear: the priority for the U.S. remains the disarmament of Hezbollah.